FOX6 Acquired by Raycom
Wednesday The Birmingham News reported that Birmingham’s FOX6 was acquired by Montgomery-based Raycom Media in a station swap with Kentucky’s Local TV. The former owner held WBRC since July 2008. With FCC regulations governing the number of stations a company can own in one market, it’s customary for companies to trade stations.
Raycom, with existing stations in other Alabama markets, traded the CBS affiliate in Richmond VA to Local TV in exchange for Birmingham’s most viewed television station. Raycom also owns NBC affiliates WAFF in Hunstville, WSFA in Mobile and FOX affiliate WDFX in Dothan. In adjoining markets, Raycom owns stations in Columbus Georgia, Panama City Florida and Biloxi Mississippi. It operates a total of 46 TV stations according to its website.
Interestingly, and perhaps not surprisingly, Raycom is funded by the Retirement Systems of Alabama, lending it the funds to purchase Lincoln Financial Group’s television properties in April. Raycom’s corporate address is also in the Montgomery’s RSA tower.
FOX6 is unquestionably Birmingham’s TV market leader and a smart investment. If I could invest in a Birmingham media property, it would be my pick too.
Still, this consolidated ownership of stations, while in line with the FCC’s one station per market rule, gives pause. Does Raycom, and by extension the RSA and David Bronner, now have too much voice over Alabama’s airwaves?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Comments
By Curtis on January 12th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Bronner has got a master plan for everything he does. This has been in the works for some time, although one of his favorite things to do with his TV properties is to promote Alabama to the rest of the nation… and another local channel won’t help him in that regard. Basically he requires his stations in other markets to run promotional advertisements for the RTJ Golf and thus helps craft a *positive* message about Alabama in the far reaches of the nation and drive revenues back into the RSA’s coffers. :^)
By admin on January 12th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
I actually have no problem with that, and would expect out of state station owners to do the same in our market. People who make headlines make me nervous when they jump into media, whether it’s Richard Scrushy or David Bronner. If Bronner makes another play for the Jeffco Sewer System, could we trust the FOX6 newsroom to be objective in its coverage?